Vegan Spinach Feta Pasta Bake with Giant Shells
Ingredients
- 250g giant pasta shells
Marinara sauce
- 1 x can/box strained tomatoes
- 2 Tbsp tomato sauce or paste
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/2 tsp finely ground sea salt
- Pepper
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
- 1 sprig oregano, leaves only, finely chopped
Spinach filling
- 100g vegan feta, crumbled or vegan Parmesan, grated
- 200-300g spinach (frozen, then defrosted or fresh and wilted) or silverbeet (chopped and blanched)
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tsp olive oil
- Pinch sea salt
- 1/2 cup vegan fermented cashew cheese
Preparation
Cook the pasta shells according to package instructions.
Make marinara sauce
Heat olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan and add garlic, sautéing for 1-2 minutes until browned.
Add the remaining marinara ingredients, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Prepare spinach filling
Heat a frypan over medium heat and add olive oil, then cook onion and salt for 2-4 minutes until translucent.
Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, then turn off the heat.
In a bowl, mix the remaining spinach filling ingredients with the cooled onion and garlic mixture until uniform.
Assemble and bake
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
Pour a layer of marinara sauce into the bottom of a deep tray.
Spoon the spinach filling into the cooked pasta shells and place them on the marinara sauce base, layering if necessary.
Top with extra marinara sauce and optional vegan cheese, then bake covered for approximately 30 minutes.
Tips
This dish can be enjoyed as is or served with a green side salad.
